Read Online The Haunting of Tabitha Grey by Vanessa Curtis - Free Book Online Page A

and emailing Gemma.
    Dad’s helping Mum paint the bathroom this morning but when he’s done a couple of hours he leaves her to it and prepares to go and carry out some jobs in the manor.
    ‘There was a reason I bought you the iPhone,’ he says as he passes the sofa. ‘I thought perhaps you could take some photographs for me of each of the rooms? I need a rough
picture of all the contents to back up my inventory.’
    I freeze.
    ‘Today?’ I say. ‘Do I have to do it today?’
    Dad ruffles my hair.
    ‘Well as you’re about to go back to school, this is kind of the last chance, isn’t it?’ he says. ‘I’ll be around the house if you need me. It won’t take
you all that long.’
    I sigh. My appetite has shrivelled away to nothing.
    ‘Can I ask Gem to come over and help me?’ I say.
    Dad’s smile fades a little.
    ‘Really, Tabs,’ he says. ‘What’s up with you? You used to be such a strong girl. But yes – if you like. Invite Gemma. I’m sure your mum will give her
lunch.’
    He goes out into the corridor and shuts the flat door behind him.
    I sit there for a moment trying not to be upset by what he said.
    Thing is – Dad’s right. I did use to be strong. I used to be brave and funny and would do anything that anybody asked me.
    I shiver and text Gem from my new iPhone and she texts back right away that she’d love to come over and I smile and think, If Gemma is here then nothing will happen. Things will be
OK .
    Gem comes in all brown and glowing from the sun and wearing a white strappy sun dress and flip-flops.
    I see her look for a moment at my faded jeans and unwashed hair but she’s a good mate and says nothing.
    I know I look a bit rubbish at the moment. I haven’t slept very well either so I have circles the colour of purple cabbage underneath my eyes and I’ve lost weight, so my jeans are
held up by a belt so they don’t end up down by my feet.
    ‘You OK, Tabs?’ is all she says. I nod. She reaches out and gives me a gentle hug. She’s good like that, Gem. She knows when something is going on but she’s never
pushy.
    The thing about telling stuff to your best mate is that it kind of makes it REAL. Maybe if I just don’t admit to anything it will kind of go away and leave me alone.
    Gemma loves coming into the manor. She twirls down the corridor past the vast dining room, getting looks of disapproval from a group of Japanese visitors who are clustered in
front of the Chinese lions and then she does a little tap dance in the entrance hall on the parquet floor.
    Dawn laughs when she sees this.
    ‘I’ll have some of whatever your friend is on, Tabs,’ she says as I run behind to catch up.
    Gem has spun off into the large drawing room and is staring up at the crystal chandelier and at the gilt mirrors placed at either end of the room over the ornate fireplaces.
    ‘They must have had some cool parties in here,’ she says.
    I smile.
    ‘Oh, we still do!’ says Gemma in a posh voice.
    Huh?
    I turn to Gemma. ‘What do you mean? Why did you say that?’
    Gemma frowns. ‘I didn’t say anything, or I don’t think I did, anyway.’
    It’s my turn to frown, but Gemma has turned away and is gazing out through the French double doors at the back lawn of the manor. There are groups of kids lounging about all over it, lying
in the sun, listening to radios or fiddling with their phones.
    ‘You’re so lucky living here,’ she says. ‘My mum’s flat is so boring. And we haven’t even got a garden.’
    Seeing the kids with their phones reminds me that I’m supposed to be on a mission for Dad, so I get out my new iPhone and let Gem play about with it for a bit and then I find the camera
application and take a wonky photograph of the blue and green Wedgwood in its case near the door.
    We study the results.
    ‘Bit blurry,’ says Gem. ‘But not bad for an amateur.’
    I roll my eyes at her and then we go into the dining room and I take another photograph, this time of the Chinese